Teachable Moments: Simmel understood sociology of money

8:39 PM,
Feb. 28, 2013

Sociologist Georg Simmel

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"The deepest problems of modern life derive from the claim of the individual to preserve the autonomy and individuality of his existence in the face of overwhelming social forces, of historical heritage, of external culture, and of the technique of life." - George Simmel (1858-1918) "The Metropolis and Mental Life," 1903

Georg Simmel was a seminal thinker about how society works, and his works on money, on secrecy, and interaction of the individual with the group had significant impact. But he was an outsider in the academic world, and his work has received scant notice compared to some of ...